The Korea Composite Stock Price Index plummeted at the beginning of trading, following three days of gains, as investors sought to capitalize on profits prior to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's address at the Jackson Hole symposium. The benchmark index, KOSPI, slid 0.4 percent, equivalent to a 10.91-point drop, reaching 2,696.76 within the initial 15 minutes of trading. This decline was reflective of the previous evening's performance in the United States, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average seeing a 0.43 percent decrease, the S&P 500 falling 0.89 percent, and the Nasdaq composite dropping 1.67 percent. The market is now eagerly awaiting Powell's presentation, which is expected to provide insights into the Federal Reserve's future monetary policy. Meanwhile, in Seoul, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix experienced declines of 0.51 percent and 1.73 percent respectively, while LG Energy Solution saw a 0.41 percent increase and Samsung SDI suffered a 0.15 percent slump. The pharmaceutical sector displayed a positive start, with Samsung Biologics rising 0.1 percent and Yuhan climbing 0.73 percent. Furthermore, the local currency experienced a decrease of 7.3 won against the US dollar, trading at 1,342 won.